Mud Crabs
VARIETIES | MUD CRABS
Impressive in size and taste with delectable claws
Western Australia’s mud crabs are prized for their impressive size and taste. In WA there are two species, known as Green mud crabs and Brown mud crabs. The Green’s grow slightly larger than their brown cousins and can weigh as much as 2.5 kilograms when mature. The crabs are packed with delicious white meat and can be enjoyed in any number of ways.
Don Hancey’s Cooking Tip
Mud crab claws would have to be one of the most joyous of seafoods to savour and eat. “Muddies” have a slightly earthy flavour and pair well in a stir-fry with Asian style flavours like lemongrass, peppercorn, mango and chilly. Alternatively, pick the flesh from a cooked mud crab, and create an Asian-style salad using pickled green papaya, coriander, lemongrass and a zesty lemon and sesame oil dressing.
Experiences
Recreational fishers use scoop nets and hooks to pull mud crabs out of rivers and creeks. You can have a go yourself on one of the Lombadina Tours which are Aboriginal guided mud crabbing day tours on the Dampier Peninsula.
Fisheries
Mud crabs are found in northern Western Australian rivers and creeks, between Shark Bay and the Northern Territory. Western Australia has a small commercial mud crab fishery, only producing five tonnes every year.
